Overview

Basic info:

Where: Moshi town | Machame Gate | Olpopongi Maasai Village | Shira Plateau | Rongai | Lake Chala | Mweka Gate
Terrain: Mix of off the beaten track and paved road
Activity level: Tough (not suitable for children)
Existing pre-planned dates for 2020: Departing on 3/1, 9/2, 7/3, 1/6, 27/6, 14/7, 1/8, 19/8, 5/9, 4/10, 4/11 and 1/12.

Tour highlights:

Our Mount Kili Base adventure takes its riders off the beaten path, on a more challenging route across the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. You will experience the Maasai culture, breathtaking scenery and traverse some of Tanzania’s best wildlife as they move from Amboseli National Park to the Sinya Plains.

Bike hire:

We have standard hard tail mountain bikes for hire for this trip @ $90 each. However, we recommend that you bring your own bike with you, if you can, as we cannot guarantee our bikes will be a perfect fit for you.

Alternatively, you might like to just bring your own saddle and pedals. Please note that all bike transit costs will be at your own expense.

If you have a spare bike that you’d like to use for your adventure and then donate to TVA Cycling Club, we will pay your shipping costs as a thankyou for your gift.

Day 1:
Arrive in Moshi, Tanzania – Jambo! And welcome to Tanzania!
Riding Distance: 0-36km – it’s up to you!
Accommodation: Chanya Lodge
Included meals: Dinner

Today is about preparing for the adventure ahead. Following your transfer from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), there will be time for a bit of bike set up, followed by a meet and greet at 6pm. After that, you can take a stroll to acquaint yourself with the capital of the north eastern region of the country, which enjoys good weather all year-round. Or alternatively, why not take the chance to get a feel for the terrain and go for a spin with our very own cycling club, Tanzanian Velo Adventures Cycling Club.

Notes: If you can’t arrange a flight that will arrive in time for the meet and greet, you may wish to arrive a day early so you’re able to attend. As well as setting you up for the journey ahead, we’ll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so please ensure you have all these details to provide to your leader. We’d be happy to book additional accommodation for you. If, due to any unforeseen circumstances, you’re going to be late, then please let us know.

Day 2:
Machame Gate to Olpopongi Maasai Village
Riding Distance: 55km
Accommodation: Maasai Village
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast we will transfer to Machame Gate, which is the starting point of today’s ride across contrasting landscapes. We will cycle through greener Chagga land from the southern side, to more arid open plains and acacia woodlands of the Maasai on the western side of Mount Kilimanjaro. We will pass through the villages of Ngabobo and Tinga Tinga on our way to the Olpopongi Maasai Village, which will be our accommodation for the night. While here, we’ll learn Maasai dances and songs, how to start a fire without matches, and we’ll get to take a walk into the wilderness for a spot of spear throwing. All with Mounts Kilimanjaro and Meru providing a stunning backdrop.

Day 3:
Olpopongi Maasai Village to Simba Farm Campsite
Riding Distance: 30km
Accommodation: Simba Farm Campsite
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today’s ride could probably be the highlight of this trip so make sure your camera is fully-charged. As we cycle through the Sinya and Ngasurai open plains, we’ll get to see giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, gazelles and, if we’re lucky, maybe some elephants, as they move from Amboseli National Park in Kenya to the Simba plains. We’ll also be able to take in and capture magnificent views of Mount Kilimanjaro on one side of the valley, and Mounts Meru and Ol Doinyo Lengai on the other.

Day 4:
Round trip from Simba Farm to Shira Plateau
Riding Distance: 66km
Accommodation: Simba Farm Campsite
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

As one of the most popular routes for Mount Kilimanjaro climbers, today’s ride to the Shira Plateau will be one of the most challenging days of this adventure. As we continue going further up the mountain, we’ll clearly see the change in vegetation from forest to shrubs. Again, if we’re lucky, we may see gazelles and various species of birds. The descent back to Simba Farm Campsite will be a welcome reward for achieving the +4,000 ft climb to the Shira Plateau.

Day 5:
Simba Farm to Rongai
Riding Distance: 68km
Accommodation: Snow Cap Cottages
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today’s route takes you to the vibrant Nalemoru village, which is another starting point of the Rongai route trek up the north-eastern side of Mount Kilimanjaro, close to the Kenyan border. Having reached the highest point of the ride yesterday, we’ll be making our way back down the mountain towards Lake Chala, and we’ll see the farming techniques carried out on the lower slopes of the mountain.

During today’s ride, we’ll need to make sure that everyone copes with the adjustment from the higher to the lower altitude while managing to complete the 68km distance.

Day 6:
Rongai to Lake Chala
Riding Distance: 69km
Accommodation: Tent at Lake Chala
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Having had a couple of tough days with plenty of good climbs, it’s about time for some respite. A fun and smooth downhill ride to Lake Chala culminates in the chance for a relaxing swim in the beautiful waters of the lake itself.

Day 7:
Lake Chala to Kahawa
Riding Distance: 77km
Accommodation: Kahawa Shambani Campsite
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Kahawa Shambani is Swahili for coffee farm, so we can guarantee a great coffee with breakfast to kickstart us for the day ahead. Today’s route, and longest ride of the adventure, will present us with another hard and challenging day with its uphill and downhill sections – both on dirt and tarmac roads. We will cycle through dense forest which makes rain, and therefore muddy paths, on certain sections very likely.

Day 8:
Kahawa to Chanya Lodge
Riding Distance: 34km
Accommodation: Chanya Lodge
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

On today’s final leg of what we hope has been a challenging yet enjoyable cycling adventure, we will make an uphill climb towards Mweka Gate. There we’ll meet the trekkers coming down the mountain before also descending to Moshi via Kibosho village. Kibosho is a Chagga dominated area referred to as Wakibosho (to reflect the area), and its main activity is predominately coffee and banana plantations.

The end of the tour will be marked by a celebration dinner at the lodge together with traditional dance performances, where we will get the chance to join in and pick up a few new dance moves.

Day 9:
Depart Kilimanjaro
Riding Distance: 0km
Accommodation: None
Included meals: Breakfast

A final chance to relax at the lodge or head into Moshi town before you are transferred to the airport to catch your flight back home.